Articles by originator Justin Stone

There Is Within You That Which Knows ... That Is Your Teacher

So why do we act as though we are ignorant? Because that inner innate wisdom–called Prajna–P-R-A-J-N-A–is covered up. The Vashanas–habit energies–so cover the Prajna that it becomes impossible to shine thru to the conscious mind–but it is there.

The Physical and the Spiritual in T'ai Chi Chih®

Most people who come for T”ai Chi Chih lessons do it for physical reasons, either because of ailments or because they feel it will help them in the areas of energy, hypertension, etc. Thus, they think of TCC practice as a form of therapy, which it undoubtedly is. However, they may later find that they have derived much deeper– Spiritual–benefits, which they did not expect.

The Importance of "TEH"

I have stayed with Yogis, in the Himalayan Foothills, who are masters of Prana, the Sanskrit word of CHI. They seem to be impervious to the cold and hunger. Since we ate only once a day, about ten-thirty in the morning (which was not enough for me), one would expect an eagerness to get to meals. However, such was not the case. One time I asked my friend, Mararaj, why he was not at the meal that morning. He replied that he had been meditating.

The Idea of Impermanence

On my recent visit to Albuquerque I gave a talk to over 200 people on the subject “The Spiritual Life” (in a busy world). Many points were similar to the “merging Sense with Essence” talk I made to teachers at the Minneapolis Conference. This subject seems to hit people hard, as they feel they must get away from family and work routine in order to practice Spirituality (accordance with the Real).

The Best Reason to Practice

KARMA is an important and frequently-used word, so it is important to understand what it means. In the Sanskrit language, KARMA means “action”, that and no more. So, when we glibly speak of “our Karma”, we really mean the fruit of our action, not the action itself. Even this is not totally correct. The motivation behind our action is what establishes our Karma which is a result and not blind destiny.

T'ai Chi Chih and Non-Duality

“Advaita” in Sanskrit means “Non-Duality.” This is a difficult concept for most people as we look about us and see multiple objects. But what we see are only transformations not permanent forms, whether we are speaking of a chair, a tree, or a human being. Each exists provisionally, but is certainly not lasting. One day the tree may become the chair and the human body will be eaten by worms. The “I” that observes all this may disappear and become another “I”. To bank on permanence is to promote suffering.

"ULTIMATE TRUTH"

Teachers and students are constantly asking me to write a book on ‘Ultimate Truth’. If I did so, they would resent the very ‘truth’ they asked for, as it would threaten the ground of their previous concepts. And “ultimate truth” is of no value in everyday life.

How Our Lives Are Built

By Justin Stone, New Mexico T’ai Chi Chih News

In speaking or writing about Vashanas, it is easy to give the impression that they are something “bad.” Actually, these “habit energies” are neither good nor bad. It is impossible to live everyday life without building such habit energies.

Higher Consciousness

People often speak of “higher consciousness.” A man is coming from another state to videotape me in a research project to find those in “higher consciousness.” The truth is, there is no such thing. There is only Consciousness–and, at the deepest level, it is notindividual.